Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-20
TRTF ELEMENTS or PROSPERITY.

What are the most substantial and pro-
ductive elements of prosperity in cities?
They are
FIrst-Tradc The extensive sale of goods.
wares. and family supplies. 10 the local
and surrounding populations. Trade Is the
staple element OF municipal prosperity.
Second-Natural advantages. Much is
SAID of these. BoomS are based upon
them They consist of wafer power. natu
ra harb0rS. oil strikes natural gas. min
eral springs, etc, etc. These features ar
attractive and are made more 81 by skIlifu
advertising but they are deceptive. o.
themselves alone. they are often valueless.
Water power is good thing IN its place.
but il utterly valueleSs Ou: of its place. II
must be in a locality which can command
other Indispensable features before il can
be utilized. Niagara Falls mas the great
est water power in the world. and yet the
village Il chiefly supported by the money
of tourists Fiudlay has natural gas. and
hy the offer of fine sites and immunity from
Ia ,rS few manufacturing concerns, not
satisfactorily located ri>-N here. have beer
attrarrri there. Whether they will prove
pr,,>,H rr,ls and a benefit to the town rt--
mains to b- demonstrated. Lima has oil.
but She cannot get il upon the market, and
So this great natural advantage goes 10
waste
wr may profitably discuss the elements
of the prosperity and growth "t towns III
connection with our local situation, and L
l. especially proper that We should do this
al this time.
Firsi-We have trade which is growing.
and which would have made "i Springfield
d town OF about the size and character of
Nenia OF [ rbana. The trade is increaS-
lag from Year to year. and a jobbing busi-
IA - is gradually growing up in the sur
rounding country. Doubtless ii would be-
wise for our citizens 10 give some attention
Ia the development of a wholesale trade, in
va ~ious branches.
Second Natural advantages We have. a.
some extent We are in the center of
rich and thickly ly-populated region; We have
a water power that the town has grown
left in the lunch by steam. But We have
no coal mines: no oil wells: nu natural gas;
no mineral springs
Third-Wth oar good trade and rich
agricultural surroundings, We have very
good railway facilities These are the
three features which usually build up towns.
Had We no more thar these features Spring
held would be good, healthy town, and
aud would have a natural growth, probably.
but would never become a large city.
But Springfield has more than these feat
urrS. She has substantial elements of
grnwth which have actually made her very
name famous throughout the civilized world.
Tnis IS rather a large. high-sounding SEN
r.nr.. Ii sounds like bit nf American
bn,g. But il is the actual. sober truth, as
has often been asserted in these columns.
Wherever Springfield men go-in all parts
of the United States. in Mexico, South
America. Europe, Australia-they find ma
chinery made by Springfield firms, with the
words Springfield, Ohio" painted upon
,hem-and a. We have repeatedly asserted
these machines are among the best, If
"a It the best. of any made in any part of the
" ,rld IL Is indisputable that Springfield
has a reputation, in the worlds market, for
producing the best of agricultural and other
machinery This reputation Is substan
tial 5 puree of Spriugfield's growth and pros
perity. Ii is hundred times better than
All abundant supply Of natural gaS, because
the organization of 4 manufacturing con
Germ here gives its products at once favor
able introduction 10 the worlds markets.
This is AN indisputable fact. Let
the question I've asked anywhere, as 10
where a certain marhl made and